Baku’s Long Defence

The oldest part of Baku is well defended. Protection from invaders was once provided by the city’s 12th-century defensive walls. However, the best defence of the city today comes from its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is this that protects the defensive fortifications, which have been well preserved as a result.

The site of the old Walled City has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period. Due to this long history, the Walled City of Baku now exhibits a collage of civilizations -- Zoroastrian, Sasanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian. Some of these influences are built literally right on top of one another. Baku’s landmark symbol, the 12th-century Maiden Tower, was constructed over earlier structures dating back to the 6th century BC. According to local legend, the tower is named after a young lady who was imprisoned within by an evil king. Rather than marry the king, she threw herself from its heights into the Caspian Sea. The other highlight of the old city is the 15th-century Shirvanshahs’ Palace, one of the finest examples of Azeri architecture.

In 2003, UNESCO placed the old city on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The site had been damaged in an earthquake in November 2000 earthquake but had also suffered from poor conservation. However, intense restoration efforts have brought the old city back to life and UNESCO in 2009 removed it from the danger list. The old city is now back in form and attracting visitors from around the globe. Many Baku hotels are located near all of the attractions of the old city. Once settled into your Baku hotel you can wander the narrow, cobbled streets for hours and benefit from another type of protection. Baku is derived from old-Persian meaning “Wind-Pounded City” and this maze of streets was designed to buffer against the powerful Caspian Sea winds. This provides even more protection for the city, and for those visiting.